Talent Gore and Latwell Nyangu
RELATIVES of a Zimbabwean man who made headlines for allegedly repeatedly raping his step-daughter, and recording the act, are now demanding an out-of-court settlement.
This has divided the family.
Fungayi Gwishiri was arrested for raping the victim, since she was 13 in 2017.
She is now 19.
He initially appeared before a South African court where he was remanded in custody until August 28. The magistrate, however, remanded him in custody to another date.
In an audio conversation, in possession of H-Metro, a family relative suggested for the out-of-court order settlement.
“Gulez, people have instructed me to come and talk to you about an out-of-court settlement, if there are certain demands that you want you can then tell them about them so that you can drop the case,” the relative said.
“My brother is asking for your forgiveness, he is acknowledging that what he did was wrong, he does not mean any harm, he just wants to get out of jail and live a normal life.”
However, her mother is against out-of-court settlement. “Unfortunately, there is nothing that I can do and I cannot agree to an out-of-court settlement because an out-of-court settlement will not benefit us in any way, it will not take away what he did to my daughter.
“My daughter was robbed from when she was 13 years-old up until now, how will that out-of-court settlement help my daughter?
“You guys are accepting that what he did was okay, you think that, maybe, you can buy her and, maybe, she has some demands.
“Unfortunately, my daughter’s life is priceless so out-of-court settlement is out of the discussion.”
The mother said she will never allow anyone to abuse any of her children.
“Fungi knows that we used to talk in our home about how I would never tolerate anyone abusing my child whether a boy or girl, was he not listening to what I was saying?” she said.
“I did my part, now let it be the courts that will deal with him.
“Why does he want to start asking for forgiveness now when he was raping my child, he had the audacity to come to me after the act and tell me that he loves me?
“So, don’t even think that if you talk to me I will change my mind, just put yourselves in my shoes, if I was the one who had committed such a crime would you agree to an out-of-court settlement?
“People should not push me, whatever proposal that you have just know that it’s a non-starter with me, I am not interested in anything that you guys have to say.
“Dying or not dying I don’t care, at the moment I am tired of the lies that he is spreading about me.”